plant-monitor

This is a custom PCB-based smart plant monitor system using an onboard ESP32-C3 Supermini. It includes JST connectors for the following:

• 5V solar panel
• 3.7V LiPo battery

The PCB includes:

• Step-up converter (3.7V → 5V for ESP and sensors)
• Battery charger circuit (via solar and USB-C)
• Light sensor (to detect sunlight and control sleep mode)
• Soil moisture sensor: measures soil moisture levels
• DS18B20 temperature sensor
• Buzzer: provides beeps for low moisture conditions

What it does:

• Sends sensor data (temperature, soil moisture, sunlight presence) to Home Assistant via MQTT every 1 min (light) or 30 min (dark)
• Triggers automated watering via a separate ESP32-based watering station when soil moisture drops below the threshold (with a 5-minute cooldown)
• Emits periodic buzzer alerts when soil moisture is critically low
• Goes into deep sleep when it's dark to conserve power
• Features captive portal WiFi setup on first boot for easy configuration
• Maintains watering history and timing across sleep cycles using RTC memory

The watering station is a separate ESP32 device that:

• Receives MQTT watering commands from the smart pot
• Controls a water pump for 5-second watering cycles
• Includes a manual override button for direct pump control
• Provides its own captive portal setup interface

V5 is in the plans, with an enclosure and screw holes included.